Free Trade Coffee, organic farming, artisan made shoes and slow food… when customers are buying today, they are not just looking at the product in their hand, but the impact of that product on the world around them.
Increasingly a product is attractive not just because of its features and benefits, but customers are looking for another set of credentials, the social and environmental credentials of the product. This is not just an intellectual exercise, customers become attached to the aesthetic of these products, which reflects a product made by hand and by nature
Cape Grim beef is one of the world’s most sought after sources of beef. Cape Grim beef comes from North West Tasmania, which is considered by some the most pristine agricultural environment in the world. The meet is tender, flavoursome and highly nutritious, not surprisingly there is a link between animal welfare, the natural environment, flavour and nutrition.www.capegrimbeef.com.au
The Natural Shoe company in Australia sell hand made espadrilles, made in their traditional villages in Spain. Customers are intuitively drawn to the aesthetic of a hand made shoe (often without knowing why ) and are delighted to discover that is the closest thing to walking on grass, as the natural fibre moves with the natural rhythm of your foot. http://www.naturalshoe.com.au
For those of you who are walking this pathway remember the importance of the story, just as Paul Newman’s salad dressing gave to charity ( a story on the bottle) rather than spend on advertising, your brand can use the story of its product credentials to create a buzz in the market place.
Planning ahead for your brand and business? Take a while to consider the virtuous customer circle of ” good for the world, good for others and good for me”
Louise Kelly
Managing Director
Hearts and Minds
Thought Leaders Circle 